This is dedicated to Blueeyeswhit3, whose birthday is today Have a happy happy birthday, dear!

Rating: K

Brusque


For as long as Petra could remember, Levi had always been cold, rapacious and downright rude. It was part of his character, and Petra quickly learnt to accept it, deal with it and work her way around it. But as she spent more time with him, she realized his inability to express himself, and if anything, it made him more charming. She grew to love his awkward personality, adore his unpolished individuality. She learnt to read in between the lines, understand what he was trying to say without quite speaking the words.

I love you, was expressed through the tucking of her hair behind her ear. It would be a sweet gesture, his touch like a feather, as though she was a china doll and he was afraid of breaking her.

You're beautiful, his kisses said. They'd be trailed along her jaw, over her nose, her eyes, her chin. It was intimate, lovely and her pulse increased with excitement. She had many scars all over her body, but when he kisses them, as though they were the most wonderful things he'd seen, Petra truly felt beautiful.

Don't leave me, his hands would relay. They'd have had a close encounter with Titans, and hours later, they'd be in a crowd. Levi was never one for public affection, but she could see his fear in almost having lost her, his relief for her to still be alive. His hand would brush against hers when nobody could see, and she felt his emotions through the brief contact. And ever so slightly, her fingers would find his and squeeze them tightly, as though to say, I'm still here.

But no gesture was as expressive as this moment, with only four words and the look in his eyes to win her heart all over again.

'Will you marry me?'

She should have known this day was coming, and it wasn't that she didn't. It was the circumstances it was done in. Here, in front of everybody, with Levi on one knee, and her in her seat, frozen into place. Levi held a ring, the diamond sparkling under the lighting of the room. But the look in his eyes, the desperate, hopeful look in his eyes that seemed to pray that she'd accept, was enough. It didn't matter if he gave her a ring made out of a paperclip; there was no way she'd refuse.

'Yes,' she breathed, and the happiness in her voice sounded through the room, and in seconds, everybody was applauding. Levi's expression relaxed, and Petra didn't realize how tense he was until his shoulders loosened up, and he slid the ring onto her finger. He pulled her into a hug, the cheering of the onlooking crowd almost inaudible to their ears.

But when they broke apart, Hanji pulled her into a hug, grip tight as she squealed in her ear. 'Congratulations!'

And so it went on, everybody congratulating them on their engagement, and insisting they went out for a drink to celebrate. Neither Petra nor Levi protested (though he did show his dismay), and as the night wore on, they did not spend another moment together. Aurou swore to be the best man, and Jean argued he'd be a nuisance for the role, and everybody laughed. Even Mikasa cracked a smile, clearly happy for them, and seeing the young girl express her pleasure made Petra's heart soar. She didn't miss the way Eren reached out and gripped her hand, and she thought she saw a hint of a promise in the gazes of the young pair.

When they went back home, Levi quietly slipped into her room, away from everybody's prying eye.

'Hey.' Petra smiled softly.

'Hey.'

They stood apart for a moment before her smile stretched into a wide grin, and she threw herself into his arms.

'I love you,' she said into his ear, and although he smirked, when she pulled away she saw the love in his eyes.

Levi was not by any means a vocally expressive man. But she did not need his words when his eyes were the true windows to his soul. They embraced again, and the glistening ring on her finger caught Petra's attention. The events of the night finally caught up to her, and she tried her new name on her tongue.

Petra Ackerman.

She smiled. It suited her quite nicely, she decided.


Birthday fic for Blueeyeswhit3! I hope you liked it sweetie, and it was satisfying enough I'm really sorry it wasn't to the best of my abilities because I had a surgery on my finger and I couldn't quite write it the way I hoped.

Now, I wrote this the night I came out of a surgery on my finger, like I just said, and I have to say I think I'm going to take a week off writing because it really fucking hurts. It was a plastic surgery on my middle finger, and my ring finger is still numb, but I gotta admit it's fun poking and prodding at things when you can't feel a thing. And bending it into whatever angle I want is hilarious

So yeah, no writing for a week unfortunately until the bandaging comes off my finger, because it really does kill. If the chapter was to your liking, please comment and let me know what you thought as well as any suggestion you would like to add.

Oh, and thank you to those people who dropped in their birthday Let me know what theme you would like , and I'll have it posted on the day hopefully

By the way, I'm glad you guys liked the origins idea, it excited me too ;))

So when this finger is feeling better, I'll post the next chapter! In the meantime, I'm planning out all my current other stories, so I have a chapter guide to follow, and I'll plan the origins story as well so it is posted soon XD

Love & Respect